Niger’s ousted president hits again as UK slams coup
B
ritain backed a regional diplomatic scramble underway on Thursday to defuse tensions in Niger, because the West African nation’s deposed president vowed to withstand a navy takeover.
Andrew Mitchell, the Foreign Office minister for Africa, slammed the coup and stated the federal government was carefully monitoring the state of affairs because the US urged its residents to keep away from affected areas.
“The UK condemns in the strongest possible terms any attempt to undermine stability and democracy in Niger,” Mr Mitchell stated.
“The UK joins the African Union and Economic Community of West African States in their calls to end the unacceptable events seen today, and to ensure the full and swift restoration of Niger’s democratically elected institutions,” he stated.
A gaggle of troopers appeared on the previous French colony’s nationwide tv on Wednesday evening to declare that they had eliminated President Mohamed Bazoum from energy, and he was being held within the presidential palace.
They stated that they had dissolved the structure, suspended all establishments and closed the nation’s borders.
In the TV announcement on Wednesday, Col Maj Amadou Abdramane, stated alongside 9 different uniformed troopers: “We, the defence and security forces… have decided to put an end to the regime you know.
“This follows the continuing deterioration of the security situation, and poor economic and social governance.”
However, Mr Bazoum gained entry to social media on Thursday and declared that Niger’s “hard-won gains will be safeguarded”, condemning the broader area’s seventh coup since 2020.
The nation’s international minister Hassoumi Massoudou additionally tweeted an attraction for “all democrats and patriots” to make sure the coup fails.
Land-locked Niger has turn out to be a key ally for Western powers towards Islamist insurgencies within the area, however navy efforts have been undermined by coups in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso.
Niger can be an EU ally within the combat towards unlawful migration from sub-Saharan Africa, which is fuelling Britain’s small boats disaster.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres each stated that they had spoken to Mr Bazoum and supplied their full assist to his authorities.
“The US condemns efforts to subvert Niger’s constitutional order by force, and underscores that our partnership depends on the continuation of democratic governance,” Mr Blinken stated, as European governments additionally denounced the takeover.